When Truth Kills Truth
by ilovetvalot
Summary: 16th in our "Shakespeare Series" of post-eps. This one follows "Devil's Night". JJ offers Emily a little unsolicited truth. TWOSHOT
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello, readers! Just a couple of notes today -**

**Friends, don't forget to vote in "The Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards" headquartered at "Chit Chat on Author's corner" forum (it can also be reached thru my profile page or tonnie2001969 profile page if you choose). We've had a phenomenal response so far, but we want each one of you to be heard thru your vote. Voting ends on November 30th and details can be found at the forum. Please everyone, let your voice be heard and come choose your favorite nominees and recognize them.**

**New interviews are posted on "Chit Chat" with our very talented co-authors: ChristyKateBrewster, jungleanimal, Luna Argenta, Hopeless-Romantic-Daydreamer, and MissdaVinci77. Check them as well as several of our other nominees out. We'll be adding more as we draw closer to the end of the awards!**

**Thanks to everyone that continues to read, review alert and favorite...we truly appreciate each one of you!**

**This is sixteenth in our "Shakespeare Series" and is a post-ep for "Devil's Night".**

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**When Truth Kills Truth**

**Chapter One**

Emily Prentiss' eyes narrowed suspiciously the moment she watched the familiar blonde haired beauty climb the metal staircase leading to Aaron Hotchner and David Rossi's office.

What was she doing here, her mind whispered violently as she watched JJ pause briefly to hand off her son to Dave at his doorway and then move quickly on to Hotch's office. The interloper went inside almost immediately, and her heart sank as she watched through the slats in the blinds as JJ and Aaron exchange a tight hug.

It didn't mean anything, she told herself firmly. JJ was seeing Rossi , and if the rumors were to be believed, David Rossi did not share. Ever.

Gnawing her lower lip, she forced her eyes back down to the open file on her desk. Yeah, right, she snorted to herself, like she could concentrate while they were upstairs…alone…together. Shifting her gaze back up to the windows, she spotted Rossi lifting Henry above his head, laughing at the baby. How the hell could he be so calm while his girlfriend...or whatever he was calling her...was with another man?

Hotch is his BEST friend, Emily, her rational brain chided. Aaron is much too honorable a man to allow himself to lust after a taken woman...especially David Rossi's taken woman. He didn't have a death wish, did he?

Damn it, she silently cursed. Why couldn't she just let it go? Hotch wasn't "hers". Not in any capacity that would come close to matching the definition of the word. But hearing their laughter filter out into the hallway, she couldn't help but tense, her shoulders tightening in preparation for some unknown battle. He'd never laughed like that for her...with her.

But, somehow, JJ brought out the lighthearted side in men. She done it with Rossi, Emily thought, glancing up at the formerly somber man that had appeared to soften around the edges in the past month and a half he'd been seeing the young blonde. And JJ had always had that effect on Reid. Certainly on Hotch, she growled to herself. And it even happened to some extent around Morgan.

Maybe it was that damn flowing blonde hair. What was the saying? Perhaps, blondes really did have more fun…and they obviously caused others to enjoy life, too.

Dropping her gaze back to the forms on her desk as Hotch's office door swung open, Emily cursed under her breath. She hadn't been quick enough to avoid JJ's clear blue gaze on her. Staring, unseeing at the spread papers on her desk, she determinedly tried to focus.

"Caught you lookin'," JJ teased lightly a moment later as she stood by Emily's desk.

Pasting what she hoped was a welcoming smile on her face, Emily looked up, staring into the serene face of Jennifer Jareau. "JJ...I wasn't expecting to see you here today. DOD actually let you have a day off?" she asked, purposefully keeping her voice warm and collegial, a stretch that taxed her very reserves. JJ was a friend, she reminded herself. One that she didn't want to alienate because jealousy got the better of her. It wasn't her fault that Hotch seemed to brighten when she was around, was it?

"Henry had a doctor's appointment this morning," JJ shrugged, letting the words flow easily as her eyes catalogued every nuance of her friend's face.

"Is he okay?" Emily frowned, glancing toward Rossi's office again, concerned. Great...she was the world's worst friend. She'd spent the last fifteen minutes raking JJ across the coals in her mind and the woman's kid was sick? Just perfect, Prentiss, she thought sarcastically.

"No," JJ said with a brief shake of her head. "It was just a well baby check-up, but I decided to use a personal day rather than rush around the city from appointment to appointment."

"Oh," Emily replied, relief filling her voice as she let herself relax. "Well, that's good."

"And, as an added bonus, it frees you and I up to go to lunch together," JJ winked. "Dave agreed to watch Henry and I already cleared it with Hotch."

"Oh, uhmmm," Emily faltered, glancing down at her desk in a last-second effort to find something seemingly important that could provide her with the perfect excuse. "JJ, I need to get this profile done and..."

Peering over Emily's desk at the file, JJ snorted in obvious doubt. "Em, that's the Holton file. It's been here for three months. It can wait an hour so we can go grab a bite," JJ chided gently, tapping her fingers against the manila folder. "C'mon. My treat. How often do you think I score a dinner sans my toddler?"

"Well, when you put it that way," Emily murmured, silently castigating herself for not having a better excuse. She loved JJ. She really did. But this unexplainable sense of competition she felt with the other woman was threatening to drive her crazy.

Nodding with satisfaction as her plan seemed to fall into place, JJ ordered, "Grab your purse, Em. Let's go."

**xxx**

Sitting across from JJ in a comfortable booth at the local diner, Emily halfheartedly bit into a French fry from her plate. One hour. She could survive one hour, couldn't she? Honest to goodness, she'd suffered through far worse as her mother had swept her way through the world-wide diplomatic corps, hadn't she?

"So...," JJ smiled warmly across the table, "How are things going, Em?"

"You know the drill, JJ," Emily replied with a half-smile, cocking her head to the side. "Nothing much ever changes at the BAU. There are cases and unsubs..."

"I sort of meant on the personal front, Em," JJ winked, interrupting the other woman easily. Honestly, sometimes getting Emily Prentiss to open up was about as successful as prying open a clam...or worse, getting Aaron Hotchner to talk about his feelings. And if two people were made for each other, it was them.

Paling slightly, Emily wondered what had prompted that question. Had Aaron said something to her? "What do you mean?" Emily asked carefully, her well-honed protective instincts rising quickly to the surface.

Cocking her head, JJ raised one eyebrow. "Dave might have mentioned there was some tension among the team. He wanted me to talk to you."

Lips tightening, Emily raised an eyebrow. "Pardon me? Dave wanted you to run interference?"

"He thought you might be more comfortable talking to me," JJ shrugged easily, forking another bite of her salad into her mouth.

"About?" Emily prompted, feeling her shoulders tighten even more.

"Honestly?" JJ asked, pausing. Why the hell was Emily so defensive? Was there more to Dave's suspicions than she had first given credit? "Hotch," she said truthfully, not mincing her words or her thoughts.

"Let me get this straight," Emily said, her anger slowly surfacing as she glared across the booth at the woman who had apparently become the BAU's answer to Dear Abby. "Your boyfriend wants you to talk to me about the guy that you spent time with this morning? Did you talk to Aaron about ME, JJ?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hello, readers! Just a couple of notes today -**

**Friends, don't forget to vote in "The Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards" headquartered at "Chit Chat on Author's corner" forum (it can also be reached thru my profile page or tonnie2001969 profile page if you choose). We've had a phenomenal response so far, but we want each one of you to be heard thru your vote. Voting ends on November 30th and details can be found at the forum. Please everyone, let your voice be heard and come choose your favorite nominees and recognize them.**

**New interviews are posted on "Chit Chat" with our very talented co-authors: MissdaVinci77, ChristyKateBrewster, Hopeless-Romantic-Daydreamer, Luna Argenta and jungleanimal. Check them as well as several of our other nominees out. We'll be adding more as we draw closer to the end of the awards!**

**Thanks to everyone that continues to read, review alert and favorite...we truly appreciate each one of you!**

* * *

**When Truth Kills Truth**

**Chapter Two**

"What?" JJ asked blankly, her eyes widening in confusion as she attempted to understand the words and the tone. "No! I was just touching base with Hotch. We're...oh my God," she muttered, her eyes widening as she shook her head. "Dave was right."

"Right about what?" Emily snapped, regretting the bite in her voice as soon as the words left her lips.

"You," JJ laughed with a shake of her head, wondering once again how she had missed what was obviously right in front of her.

"What about me, JJ?" Emily asked stiffly, not finding any humor in the situation.

Sighing heavily, JJ rolled her head. "Em," she said softly, reaching across the table to cover Emily's hand, "I don't know what you think, but there's nothing between me and Hotch except a long standing friendship. That's all there's ever been. That's all there's ever going to be."

Choking on her glass of iced tea, Emily sputtered as she reached for her napkin, "I never implied...never said..."

"You were jealous. You've been cold since you saw me go up to Hotch's office this morning," JJ admonished, warmth filling her voice. "And I get it...I had the same reaction last night when Dave mentioned you."

"I...what?" Emily gaped.

Inhaling deeply, JJ pushed her half eaten salad aside. "In the interest of our friendship, you and I need to clear the air, Em."

Nodding slightly, Emily watched her dining companion's animated face. "I guess so," Emily sighed, closing her eyes for a bare second as she regained her control.

"Complete honesty, okay?" JJ requested, arching an eyebrow.

"Agreed," Emily nodded readily, once again meeting her friend's gaze.

"Okay, I'll start. Em, I do NOT have a thing for Hotch. I never did. Nor, does he carry a torch for me," she continued, holding up a hand when Emily would have interrupted. "My turn...then you can say whatever you want, Em."

"Okay," Emily whispered, slowly growing embarrassed with her own behavior as JJ continued.

"Look, Dave pointed out last night that you might be harboring the delusion that Hotch cared about me as more than a friend. Honestly, I was surprised. Mostly because I hadn't seen it until he pointed it out to me...and after I'd gotten a tiny bit jealous when he told me that he'd been watching YOU. But there's nothing there, Em. For either of us. I think of Hotch as an older brother. And I know he used to think of me as his little sister...mainly because I never quit nagging him."

"Really?" Emily whispered, still uncertain, but much more relaxed. At least on JJ's end, she could tell the other woman was sincere.

"Yes," JJ said soundly, slapping her hands against the table as she reached for one of Emily's discarded French fries. "Jeez, Em, if I'd known you were worried about this or even felt this way, I'd have cleared up any doubts you had a hell of a lot earlier."

"How do you tell your best friend you're scared the man she's in love with loves her?" Emily muttered, dropping her gaze to the table, the sheer effort of speaking the words taking more energy than she had first expected.

"I don't love Hotch. Not like that. And he doesn't love me either, Em," JJ said softly. "But if you love him, you need to be honest...and careful."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked suspiciously, raising her eyes back to her friend's.

"I mean, that there are rumblings from above, Em," JJ warned softly, her eyes narrowing as she focused tightly on Emily's face. "Someone is putting bugs...intentionally or unintentionally in Erin Strauss' ear."

"And Dave thinks that person is me?" Emily gasped, unsure whether she was more angry or worried at the moment.

"Dave doesn't know who it is, Em. But, evidently it got back to him that you were rather lackluster in your responses lately to some of Strauss' questions regarding Hotch's performance," JJ explained, her words plain and simple.

"I would never give Aaron less than my full and undivided support. And you and Dave should know that! I was working under the less is more theory with Erin. As in, the less I said, the better."

"Well, something you said might have been perceived or heard to be...less than complimentary," JJ murmured. "Look, Em...we know you'd never hurt Hotch deliberately. We both just thought that you should know that Strauss is looking to use someone."

"Isn't she always?" Emily asked bitterly, her earlier experiences with the Section Chief still fresh wounds in her own mind.

"Since I was the last person she used up and spit out, I'm pretty familiar with the facts, Emily," JJ reminded the angry dark haired woman with an edge in her voice. "I'm trying to help you here."

Breathing deeply, Emily struggled to get her emotions under control. Damn it, where was her cool, poised mask when she needed it? "I apologize, JJ. For the assumptions I made...for the way I spoke to you...for all of it," Emily said, dropping her head in defeat. "And honest to God, I don't know what I could have said that Erin Strauss misconstrued. But, if anyone could do it, it's her."

"Just be careful, Em. Hotch hates people that play games. And if he thought that you were the source...even if it was innocently..."

"It might wreck my chance before it even arrives," Emily nodded, the truth of the situation barreling upon her with the force of a bulldozer.

"Something like that," JJ whispered. "I've known Aaron Hotchner a long time, Emily. PLATONICALLY. But he hates betrayal...of any kind."

"I haven't and I won't betray him, JJ. You and Dave don't have to worry. Please convey that to him," Emily requested solemnly.

Smiling widely at the woman that she had shared years of her life with, JJ winked. "I already have."

And as both women exchanged a smile of understanding, each reached for a French fry. Perhaps there was common ground between them after all.

_**Finis**_


End file.
